Separable wallbox device and memory

ABSTRACT

A frame or the like incorporating a removable device for placement on a wallbox. The frame may be attached to a conventional wallbox without modification to the wallbox. The device may be mounted to, in or on the frame. A memory for the device may be situated on or embedded in the frame. If the device fails, it may be easily removed from the frame and replaced with a new or other working device without frame removal from the wallbox. The replacement device may be configured with information in the memory that contained the configuration for the failed device. The memory or the frame holding it may also be replaced if it fails; however, memory failure is rare compared to device failure. Thus, expense may be spared with just a replacement device and an available configuration in the remaining memory. The memory may have a secure trusted platform.

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/334,543, filed Jul. 17, 2014. U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/334,543, filed Jul. 17, 2014, is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure pertains to wallboxes and devices situated onwallboxes.

SUMMARY

The disclosure reveals a plate, ring, frame or the like and a devicesuch as a thermostat, lighting control or other device for placement ina conventional wallbox available commercially presently or at a previoustime. The frame, for instance, may be attached to the wallbox withoutmodification to the wallbox. A device may be mounted to, in or on theframe. A memory for the device may be situated on or embedded in theframe. If the device fails, it may be easily removed from the frame andreplaced with a new or other working device without frame removal. Thereplacement device may be configured with information in the memory thatwas of the configuration for the failed device. The memory may also bereplaced if it fails; however, memory failure is rare compared to devicefailure. So expense may be spared with just device replacement and witha configuration of the replacement device being available from thememory still at the frame. The memory may also incorporate a trustedplatform module that holds information, in a relatively secure manner.Older wallboxes in existing hotels, motels, industrial buildings,residences, and so on, may utilize the present system of a device andframe having the memory without modification of the wallboxes. Newconstruction may use the cheaper conventional boxes which canincorporate the present system of the device and frame with memory.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a disassembled view of a conventional wallboxcontaining a present arrangement incorporating a plate or frame with amemory and an electronic or electrical device such as a switch thatmounts on the frame;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the wallbox of FIG. 1 with the arrangementcontaining a thermostat in lieu of the switch; and

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a trusted platform module that may beincorporated in a memory of the present arrangement.

DESCRIPTION

The description may provide one or more illustrative and specificexamples or ways of implementing the present system and approach. Theremay be numerous other examples or ways of implementing the system andapproach. Implementation may incorporate processors, user interfaces,and other hardware.

Electronic devices such as switches, thermostats, or other devices maycontain a large number of configuration settings. Basic settings, suchas timing of actions, allowable target temperature range, energyconservation settings and schedules may be augmented with communicationsettings such as network addressing configurations, device and locationidentifiers and network security settings. When such a switch,thermostat or other device has a failure and needs to be replaced, thedevice may be removed from the wallbox and replaced with a spare orreplacement device. If the wallbox is customized for the switch,thermostat or other device, it may also have to be replaced.Unfortunately, the replacement operation may include removing an entireassembly or unit having a broken device, and further the replacement orspare device, incorporated in an entire assembly or unit, should be ormay have to, for instance, be configured from scratch or start. Theconfiguring may involve a significant effort and amount of time. Anotherdrawback may be that the person replacing the device often hasincomplete or merely old information available when attempting toconfigure the spare device. Inadequate configuring may often lead toinconsistent setup configurations such that system performance of thespare device is poor or deteriorates, and may lead to another neededreplacement task. The inadequate configuring may become particularlycumbersome when the device has application-level bindings to otherdevices within its scope to perform a specific application, such ashaving to know which external motion detector has an impact ondetermining the occupancy of the space controlled by the device. Normalfailure modes of devices may incorporate defects of power supplycomponents, load actuating parts (e.g., relays, transistors, and triacs)or user interface components such as a keypad or display. Rarely doesone observe a defect of a memory chip or storage memory that containsthe configuration settings. If a defective device is removed, very oftena very valuable and nondefective memory module in the unit may besimultaneously removed as well. In sum, a limitation of a conventionalapproach appears when a memory is part of the device.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a disassembled view of a wall-mounted electronicor electrical component such as a switch. The diagram may refer to anarrangement 10. A wallbox 11 may be a conventional wallbox availablecommercially at a present or previous time. Wallbox 11 may be insertedin or attached to a wall of a space or room. The wallbox may be oneexisting in a building, or a one of new or planned construction. Due tovolume and lack of complexity, such wallbox may be inexpensive comparedto a wallbox modified to incorporate the advantages of the presentarrangement. Without modification of the wallbox, a mounting frame 12may be attached to wallbox 11. Fasteners such as screws 21 may holdmounting frame 12 through holes of frame tabs 20 onto threaded holes intabs 22 already existing on wallbox 11. A memory chip 23 may be embeddedin or in some other fashion be on the mounting frame 12. Mounting frame12 may instead be a plate, ring, or some other structure for having orholding a memory of virtually any kind. A mounting plate 12 may beutilized as an illustrative example in the present arrangement.

A device 13 may be attached to mounting plate 12 with fasteners 24 orother technique that may connect to holding components 25 of themounting plate. Fasteners 24 and components 25 may be selected from agroup consisting of snap-on mechanisms, screws, pins, pegs, Velcro™,glue, removable adhesive substances, and so forth. Device 13 mayincorporate a switch 26 which may have electronics for translatingmechanical movement of switch 26 into an electrical closure or openingof a circuit. Device 13 may contain electronics in an enclosure 27 towhich switch 26 is connected. One or more wires 28 may be connected tothe electronics in enclosure 27 to wires 30 or electrical connections orconnectors in wallbox 11. Wires 28 may be connected to power and signalcarrying lines to and from enclosure 27 electronics. Wires 28 and 30 maybe connected with an easy connect and release plug and receptacleassemblies, that may be connected to the wires and be connected ordisconnected manually or automatically when the wallbox device isattached or removed. Other approaches may be used for connections.

A cover plate 14 may have a snap-on mechanism for attachment to wallboxdevice 13. Other fastening mechanisms may be selected for attachingcover plate 14 to wallbox device 13.

Device 13 may have contacts 29 for accessing memory chip 23. Memory chip23 mat be one example as other kinds of storage may be utilized in thepresent arrangement. Contacts 29 may be connected to the enclosure 27electronics which accesses memory chip 23 via contacts 29. Contacts 29may be an illustrative example as other wire and wireless connectionsmay be incorporated between the device 13 and memory 23.

A receptacle may be mounted in wallbox 11 and a plug may be mounted onwallbox device 13 or mounting frame 12. A plug connected to wires 28 maybe attached to wallbox device 13 or mounting frame 12 and a receptacleconnected to wires 30 and attached to wallbox 11. Another approach maybe to have contacts for connection between mounting plate 12 or wallboxdevice 13, and wallbox 11. Perhaps it may be provided that none of wires28 and 30 is not subject to carrying high voltage.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a disassembled view of an arrangement 40 thatappears similar to arrangement 10 of FIG. 1. One difference is that inlieu of an example switch 26 and switch electronics in enclosure 27,there may be a thermostat 36 and associated electronics in an enclosure37. There may be still may be another kind of mechanism and/orelectronics instead of switch 16 or thermostat 36 as part of device 13and an enclosure in lieu of enclosure 27 or 37.

Embedded memory chip 23 in mounting frame 12 and contacts 29 in wallboxdevice 13 may be for access by the mechanism and mechanism electronicsin the enclosure situated in wallbox device 13.

As noted herein, one advantage of the present arrangements 10 and 40, isthat if switch 26, thermostat 36, or other mechanism in wallbox device13, fails, then one merely removes the snap-on cover plate 14,disconnects the wires or a plug-receptacle combination, and removeswallbox device 13 and replaces it with another wallbox device thatshould satisfactorily perform the functions of the previous wallboxdevice. Memory chip 23 or other kind of memory, still part of plate 12in the arrangement, may be accessible by the mechanism of thereplacement device 13 via contacts 29 or other kind of connection.Memory chip 23 or other memory may contain a configuration that was usedfor the replaced device 13 or mechanism and can be used for configuringthe replacement device 13 or mechanism of wallbox arrangement 10 or 40,as noted herein.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a trusted platform memory having an arrangement41. Embedded memory chip 23 or other memory may incorporate arrangement41. A secured input-output interface 42 may have connections to contacts29 or other connecting mechanism in device 13. Arrangement 41 may bethat of the trusted platform module (TPM). Primary components ofarrangement 41 may incorporate a cryptographic processor 43, apersistent memory 44 and a versatile memory 45.

Cryptographic processor 43 may incorporate a random number generator 51,a SHA-1 hash generator 52, an RSA key generator 53, and anencryption-decryption-signature engine 54. Persistent memory 44 mayincorporate an endorsement key (EK) 55, and a storage root key 56.Versatile memory 45 may incorporate platform configuration registers(PCR) 57, attestation identity keys (AIK) 58, and storage keys 59.

The present approach may incorporate a locating of the memory chip 23 orother storage memory with a configuration of device 13 in mounting frameor plate 12. A connection between memory chip 23 in mounting frame 12and device 13 may be created. Virtually all configuration settingsapplicable to device 13 may be stored in memory chip 23 or other memorythat is part of mounting frame 12. Should now a failure occur as todevice 13, then device 13 may be removed from mounting frame 12 andreplaced with a replacement device 13 which is a good working sparepart. As the replacement device 13 is attached to mounting frame 12, itmay be reconnected with memory chip 23 or corresponding memory onmounting frame 12, and the replacement device 13 can virtually in aninstant inherit the configuration settings from memory chip 23 or othermemory previously connected to the replaced wallbox device 13. Forinstance, in arrangement 10 or 40, having memory chip 23 remain onmounting frame or plate 12 may ease replacement of a significant numberof wallbox devices that could fail on a regular basis in a many-roomfacility or numerous individual places.

Mounting frame 12 holding memory chip 23 may be installed after thebasic electrical plumbing has been installed in a wallbox 11. Mountingframe 12 may be distinct and separable from wallbox 11. Standardwallboxes 11, whether single or multiple gang, may be installed in anormal fashion without regard to the present arrangement 10, 40 or otherlike arrangement.

An implementation of memory chip 23 or other memory, in a plate ormounting frame 12, may be a particular portion or category of a memorychip or other storage that is referred to as a trusted platform module(TPM). The TPM may be regarded as a having a dedicated microprocessordesigned to secure hardware by integrating cryptographic keys intodevices. The TPM may allow for more secure storage of configurationsettings, in particular, network encryption keys and/or authenticationinformation. For example, when a spare or replacement wallbox device 13is attached to mounting frame 12 and goes online, device 13 may announceitself to the network with a default network key to request permissionto join the network. Then another network member or server may send achallenge to the spare or replacement wallbox device 13 that can only beproperly met through accessing the TPM. The TPM may, for example,contain a one-way-hash function, e.g., based on the SHA-1 (secure hashalgorithm), that can be utilized to compute a reply to the challenge.

In summary, memory chip 23 in mounting frame 12 may store energymanagement settings, network configuration settings andapplication-level settings that allow wallbox device 13 to participatemeaningfully in an overall building automation application.

The wallbox device 13 and mounting frame 12 of arrangement 10, 40 or thelike, may be used in residential, multi-dwelling and hotel applications.The present arrangement or system may allow existing installations tohave replacement wallbox devices 13 with a higher degree ofconfiguration accuracy and consistency than installations that hadreplacement devices incorporating configuration memory chips or storagein the devices themselves.

In the present device 13 and mounting frame 12 of system or arrangement10 or 40, memory chip 23 may be embedded onto plate or mounting frame 12that may be at least in part a printed circuit board (PCB) that hascontacts at its end exposed towards device 13 having aligned contactsinserted or to be inserted in mounting frame 12. The PCB may be part ofmounting frame 12. The plate or mounting frame 12 may be a molded ABS(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) part where the PCB can be over-moldedor otherwise affixed to the mounting frame. When wallbox device 13 isattached to plate or frame 12, the contacts of the plate or frame 12 maymake a connection between a micro controller of wallbox device 13 andmemory chip 23 of mounting plate or frame 12.

For example, exposed pads or contacts 29 on wallbox device 13 may matchup with pogo-pins connected to memory chip 23 of mounting frame 12 inthat when attached to mounting frame 12, an electrical contact may beestablished between wallbox device 13 and memory chip 23 of mountingframe 12. Alternatively, the pogo-pins may be on wallbox device 13 andmake contact with exposed pads connected to memory chip 23 in mountingframe 12.

Other alternative approaches for connections may have an RFID-based ornear field communication (NFC) memory chip 23 that is affixed to orembedded in plate or mounting frame 12. A reader for memory chip 23 mayreside on wallbox device 13.

To recap, a wallbox system may incorporate a wallbox device having auser interface, a processor connected to the user interface, and mayincorporate a mounting frame with a memory having configuration settingsfor the wallbox device. The mounting frame may be attachable to andremovable from a commercially present or available standard orconventional wallbox without modification of the wallbox. The wallboxdevice may be attached to the mounting frame and connected to thememory. The wallbox device may be detached from the mounting frame anddisconnected from the memory. When the wallbox device is detached fromthe mounting frame and disconnected from the memory, then anotherwallbox device may be attached to the mounting frame and connected tothe memory. The configuration settings stored in the memory may beapplicable to the other wallbox device.

The memory may incorporate a trusted platform module that allows forsecure storage of configuration settings that incorporate particularencryption keys and/or authentication information.

The wallbox device may incorporate one or more items selected from agroup consisting of a switch, a timer, a motion detector, an ambientobject detector, a sound detector, a two-way communicator, an alertindicator, an air quality detector, an intrusion detector, anannunciator, diagnostic electronics, and a thermostat.

The memory further may have energy management settings and networkconfiguration settings.

The memory may further have application-level settings which allow thewallbox device to participate in an overall building automation control.

A connection may occur between the wallbox device and the mounting framehaving contacts connected to the memory and exposed towards contacts ofthe wallbox device with contact between the contacts of the mountingframe and the contacts of the wallbox device.

A connection between the wallbox device and the memory of the mountingframe may incorporate exposed metal connection pads on a printed circuitboard holding the memory, and the wallbox device may incorporate pogopins to establish contact with the pads when the wallbox device isattached to the mounting frame.

A connection between the wallbox device and the memory of the mountingframe may incorporate a wireless transmitter and a reader.

The trusted platform module may provide for secure storage of varioussettings besides configuration settings. When the other wallbox deviceis mounted to the mounting frame and connected to the memory, the otherwallbox device may announce itself to a network with a default key torequest permission to join the network. A network member or server maysend a challenge to the other wallbox device that is or needs to be metthrough accessing the trusted platform module. The trusted platformmodule may contain a hash function that computes a reply to thechallenge. If there is lack of a challenge or there is an acceptablereply to the challenge, then the other wallbox device may become anetwork member.

A wallbox arrangement may incorporate a mounting frame attachable to aconventional or standard electrical wallbox commercially available oralready installed in a building, without modification of a structure ofthe wallbox, a memory attached to the mounting frame, and a wallboxdevice attachable to and detachable from the mounting frame, andconnectable to and dis-connectable from the memory, respectively. Thewallbox device may be replaceable with another similar wallbox devicethat is attachable to the mounting frame and connectable to the memoryin a similar manner as the replaced wallbox device.

The arrangement may further incorporate a user interface situated withinthe wallbox device, and a processor situated within the wallbox device,connected to the user interface, and connectable to the memory. Thewallbox device, along with the user interface and processor, may bereplaceable with another wallbox device with a user interface andprocessor. Configuration settings held by the memory may be applicablefor the processor and user interface of the replaced wallbox device andthe other wallbox device. A connection, between the processor of thewallbox device and the memory, may incorporate contacts on the memoryand on the processor of the wallbox device.

The memory may incorporate a trusted platform sub-module. The trustedplatform sub-module may securely hold configuration settings for theprocessor and user interface. The trusted platform module may storesecurity configuration settings incorporate network encryption keysand/or authentication information.

A connection between the memory and the processor may be selected from agroup consisting of near field communication (NFC), infraredcommunication, and optical fiber communication.

The wallbox device may incorporate one or more items selected from agroup consisting of a switch, a timer, a motion detector, an ambientobject detector, a sound detector, a two-way communicator, an alertindicator, an air quality detector, an intrusion detector, anannunciator, diagnostic electronics, and a thermostat.

An approach for replacing a wallbox device may incorporate providing amounting frame attachable to a wallbox, providing a first wallbox deviceattached to the mounting frame and connected to a memory in the mountingframe, and detaching and disconnecting the first wallbox device from themounting frame and the memory in the mounting frame, and attaching andconnecting a second wallbox device to the mounting frame and the memoryin the mounting frame. The second wallbox device may have the samestructure and electronics as the first wallbox device.

The memory may incorporate a configuration developed for a wallboxdevice like the first and second wallbox devices. The memory mayincorporate a first connection interface. The first wallbox device mayincorporate a second connection interface. A second wallbox device mayincorporate a second connection interface. Attaching the first andsecond connection interfaces to each other may result in a connectionbetween the first connection interface and the second connectioninterface.

A connection between the first and second connection interfaces may beselected from a group consisting of a near field communicationconnection, an RFID connection, an optical connection, and a wireconnection.

The first and second wallbox devices may incorporate one or more itemsselected from a group consisting of a switch, a timer, a motiondetector, an ambient object detector, a sound detector, a two-waycommunicator, an alert indicator, an air quality detector, an intrusiondetector, an annunciator, diagnostic electronics, and a thermostat.

The memory may incorporate a trusted platform module. The trustedplatform module may provide for secure storage of various settingsbesides the configuration developed for a wallbox device. When thesecond wallbox device is mounted to the mounting frame and connected tothe memory, the second wallbox device may announce itself to a networkwith a default key to request permission to join the network. A networkmember or server may send a challenge to the second wallbox device thatis or needs to be met through accessing the trusted platform module. Thetrusted platform module may contain a hash function that computes areply to the challenge. If there is lack of a challenge or there is anacceptable reply to the challenge, then the second wallbox device maybecome a network member.

In the present specification, some of the matter may be of ahypothetical or prophetic nature although stated in another manner ortense.

Although the present system and/or approach has been described withrespect to at least one illustrative example, many variations andmodifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art uponreading the specification. It is therefore the intention that theappended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of therelated art to include all such variations and modifications.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wall-mountable electronic system comprising: awall-mountable electronic device comprising: a user interface; and aprocessor connected to the user interface; and a mounting framecomprising a memory having configuration settings for the wall-mountableelectronic device; and wherein: the wall-mountable electronic device isattached to the mounting frame and connected to the memory; thewall-mountable electronic device is configured to be detached from themounting frame and disconnected from the memory; when the wall-mountableelectronic device is detached from the mounting frame and disconnectedfrom the memory, then another wall-mountable electronic device can beattached to the mounting frame and connected to the memory; and theconfiguration settings stored in the memory are applicable to the otherwall-mountable electronic device.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein thememory comprises a trusted platform module that allows for securestorage of configuration settings that incorporate particular encryptionkeys and/or authentication information.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the wall-mountable electronic device comprises one or more itemsselected from a group consisting of a switch, a timer, a motiondetector, an ambient object detector, a sound detector, a two-waycommunicator, an alert indicator, an air quality detector, an intrusiondetector, an annunciator, diagnostic electronics, and a thermostat. 4.The system of claim 1, wherein the memory further has energy managementsettings and network configuration settings.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the memory further has application-level settings which allowthe wall-mountable electronic device to participate in an overallbuilding automation control.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein aconnection occurs between the wall-mountable electronic device and themounting frame having contacts connected to the memory and exposedtowards contacts of the wall-mountable electronic device with contactbetween the contacts of the mounting frame and the contacts of thewall-mountable electronic device.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein aconnection between the wall-mountable electronic device and the memoryof the mounting frame comprises exposed metal connection pads on aprinted circuit board holding the memory, and the wall-mountableelectronic device comprises pogo pins to establish contact with the padswhen the wall-mountable electronic device is attached to the mountingframe.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein a connection between thewall-mountable electronic device and the memory of the mounting framecomprises a wireless transmitter and a reader.
 9. The system of claim 2,wherein: the trusted platform module provides for secure storage ofvarious settings besides configuration settings; and when the otherwall-mountable electronic device is mounted to the mounting frame andconnected to the memory, the other wall-mountable electronic device canannounce itself to a network with a default key to request permission tojoin the network.
 10. The system of claim 9, wherein: a network memberor server can send a challenge to the other wall-mountable electronicdevice that is or needs to be met through accessing the trusted platformmodule; the trusted platform module contains a hash function thatcomputes a reply to the challenge; and if there is lack of a challengeor there is an acceptable reply to the challenge, then the otherwall-mountable electronic device becomes a network member.
 11. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the mounting frame is attachable to andremovable from a commercially present or available standard orconventional wallbox without modification of the wallbox.
 12. Anelectronic device arrangement comprising: a mounting frame attachable toa wall; a memory attached to the mounting frame; and an electronicdevice having a user interface and a processor connected to the userinterface, the electronic device attachable to and detachable from themounting frame, and connectable to and dis-connectable from the memory,respectively; and wherein the electronic device is replaceable withanother similar electronic device that is attachable to the mountingframe and connectable to the memory in a similar manner as the replacedelectronic device.
 13. The arrangement of claim 12, wherein: theprocessor of the electronic device is connectable to the memory and theelectronic device, along with the user interface and processor, isreplaceable with another electronic device with a user interface andprocessor; and configuration settings held by the memory are applicablefor the processor and user interface of the replaced electronic deviceand the other electronic device.
 14. The arrangement of claim 13,wherein a connection, between the processor of the electronic device andthe memory, comprises contacts on the memory and on the processor of theelectronic device.
 15. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein: the memorycomprises a trusted platform sub-module; the trusted platform sub-modulecan securely hold configuration settings for the processor and userinterface; and the trusted platform module stores security configurationsettings comprising network encryption keys and/or authenticationinformation.
 16. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein a connectionbetween the memory and the processor is selected from a group consistingof near field communication (NFC), infrared communication, near opticalcommunication, and optical fiber communication.
 17. The arrangement ofclaim 12, wherein the electronic device comprises one or more itemsselected from a group consisting of a switch, a timer, a motiondetector, an ambient object detector, a sound detector, a two-waycommunicator, an alert indicator, an air quality detector, an intrusiondetector, an annunciator, diagnostic electronics, and a thermostat. 18.The arrangement of claim 12, wherein the mounting frame is attached to awall via a commercially present or available standard or conventionalwallbox without modification of the wallbox.
 19. A method for replacinga wall-mountable electronic device comprising: providing a mountingframe having a memory therein; providing a first wall-mountableelectronic device having a first user interface and a first processor incommunication with the first user interface, the first wall-mountableelectronic device attached to the mounting frame and connected to thememory in the mounting frame; detaching and disconnecting the firstwall-mountable electronic device from the mounting frame and the memoryin the mounting frame; and attaching and connecting a secondwall-mountable electronic device having a second user interface and asecond processor in communication with the second user interface, thesecond wall-mountable electronic device to the mounting frame and thememory in the mounting frame; and wherein the second wall-mountableelectronic device has the same structure and electronics as the firstwall-mountable electronic device.
 20. The method of claim 19, whereinthe first and second wall-mountable electronic devices comprise one ormore items selected from a group consisting of a switch, a timer, amotion detector, an ambient object detector, a sound detector, a two-waycommunicator, an alert indicator, an air quality detector, an intrusiondetector, an annunciator, diagnostic electronics, and a thermostat.